The Chicago Red Stars beat Sky Blue FC 3-0 in this battle of first and last place teams. Three different players scored goals for the Red Stars, including Vanessa DiBernardo who kicked things off early with a sixth minute goal.
Sky Blue’s season-long struggles continued as they were shutout for the second game in a row, and for the fourth time overall on their current nine match winless streak.
Midfielder Katy Freels of Sky Blue nearly pulled the score even in the 21st minute on a shot that struck the crossbar and ricocheted back behind the net for a goal kick. Though Sky Blue created some great chances, they were unable to finish, only mustering three shots on goal.
“They hit the frame and scored goals, and we hit the parking lot,” Sky Blue FC Technical Director & Head Coach Jim Gabarra said. “We’re just really poor in the defining moments of games on both sides of the ball. When you’re that bad against a team that’s confident and playing well, you’re going to get beat three nothing.”
The Red Stars struck next in the 34th minute when forward Jen Hoy was fed a ball in the right side of the box, after some fantastic ball movement and an assist from forward Sofia Huerta, as she managed to beat Sky Blue goalie Brittany Cameron with a tap-in to the right of the goal.
The third and final Red Stars score came off the foot of midfielder Alyssa Mautz in the 62nd minute. Hoy hit her with the assist in front of the goal and the shot deflected off of a defender when it took an odd bounce and hit just inside the left of the net.
Sky Blue welcomed new defender Coco Goodson this week and she made her first appearance of the season when she was subbed in for midfielder Shawna Gordon in the 74th minute. Goodson had started 40 out of her 43 appearances over the previous two seasons with Sky Blue before announcing her retirement after last season.
Goodson was a late sub as she had just rejoined the team about a week ago, after making the call to come out of retirement. She still has some work to do before she is completely back in playing shape. The substitution was a somewhat different call for the defender, as she was put into the game at forward.
“I played two years at forward in college, it’s definitely something I’m used to,” Goodson said. “Any role I’m given, I’ll play. We’re just focusing on every game. I’m not looking too far into the future, any role Jim wants me to play, I’ll step in and fill that role.”
The game was all but over in the 92nd minute when Sky Blue forward Nadia Nadim did her best to try put her team on the board. Off of a Sky Blue corner kick, Nadim was able to hit the ball with a fantastic bicycle kick that went clanging off the crossbar.
Sky Blue has yet to figure out a way to put the ball in net this season, only managing to score six goals in their ten games thus far. Coming off of consecutive 3-0 losses, against Seattle and now Chicago, Sky Blue is doing a bit of shuffling as far as their formation and gameplay goes.
“Shape is just a starting point,” Gabarra said. “If you don’t have a willingness to get forward, and be able to hold the ball, and change the point of attack, and serve the box, and take care of the chances that you do create, it doesn’t matter where you’re playing.”
The win furthers Chicago’s first place lead on the table, while the loss buries Sky Blue into a deeper hole at the very bottom.
Sky Blue’s next match will be at the eighth place Portland Thorns on Friday, July 3, before returning home to Yurcak Field in Piscataway to face the Thorns for a second week in a row on Saturday, July 11.
